Boulder County history: CU experienced growing pains in 1920

2K students in a city of 11K

University of Colorado students, at a football game in 1920, carried banners supporting an amendment on the state ballot to increase funding. (1921 Coloradan CU Yearbook / Courtesy Photo)

The students are back and some are facing housing challenges. I remember reading about another time in Boulder's history when university students scrambled to find places to live.

In September 1920, the Daily Camera announced that a whopping 2,000 students were expected for the term. (The population of Boulder was just about 11,000 in 1920, according to the U.S. Census.)

The registrar's office had to hire additional personnel. According to William Davis in "Glory Colorado!" fall term enrollment was recorded at 2,184. That figure was several hundred over the previous year. A report to the CU regents in 1920 stated that the student population had doubled in two years.

University resources were depleted. According to Davis' book, 1920 was an "epochal" year for CU.

"The university was crowded to capacity," Davis wrote. "Every recitation, lecture and laboratory room was occupied with classes during the regular recitation hours of the day, and many classes were held at night.".

Woodbury Hall, built as a dormitory in 1890, had to be used for offices and classrooms. The old gymnasium was converted into additional chemistry laboratories, a news story reported. All of the new students couldn't be accommodated with campus housing. Social fraternities and sororities were able to provide off-campus housing, but there were not enough rooms. The number of Greek houses on University Hill increased substantially during the 1920s. National officials approved the building of many new chapter houses, responding to the local need for student housing and offering a long-term solution.

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In the short term, the university called out to Boulder residents. The Camera ran a front-page story with the headline, "Rooms For Students Big Pressing Issue And Citizens Can Help." The issue was urgent "simply because of the fact that the university is growing faster than is Boulder," the newspaper reported.

Carol Taylor Boulder County History

The paper suggested that students consider renting rooms in fine homes on Mapleton Hill, even though they were a bit far from campus. A standard price should be charged for women students, with men paying slightly less — $25 per month for two students sharing a room and $18 for a single student. A double room should be at least 10-by-12 feet and be ventilated with two windows. There should be furnace heat and a bathroom on the same floor. The room should be cared for daily by the student and weekly by a housekeeper. The article emphasized the necessity of good lighting, beds or cots and study tables for students. Boarders should be supplied with linens as well, the article advised.

With the steadily rising enrollment, university finances for facilities and instructors were strapped. President George Norlin initiated an amendment to the state constitution that would increase funding. According to the Coloradoan yearbook, the "entire student body got behind the Educational Amendment." One banner carried by students at a football game read, "WE WANT GOOD PROFS/GOOD PROFS NEED GOOD PAY/VOTE FOR THE AMENDMENT/THEN OUR GOOD PROFS CAN STAY."

Even though many of the students wouldn't be voting, as the age to cast a ballot was 21, it was in their best interest to garner support. The amendment passed in November of 1920, by a 7-to-1 margin. Davis's book reported, "And for a time, the financial pressure was to be eased."

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